Rescue Profile: Fighting Words
Fighting Words
Laurie Adams, of Casa del Toro Pit Bull Rescue, works hard to change public perception of the breed
by Greg Presto
Laurie Adams first became interested in Pit Bull rescue as an animal control field officer, where she witnessed firsthand the cruelties that the breed must face. “In one case, we stumbled upon two Pit Bull puppies with their ears severed at the skull with a pair of dirty office scissors,” she says. “The horror of it was hard to bear.”
Spurred by such experiences, Adams founded Casa Del Toro Pit Bull Rescue in 2000. Based in Franklin, the organization focuses on the rescue of the breed and works to educate others on the breed’s often undeserved label as malicious.
“Sometimes people will meet a dog, and they’ll pet her and love on her with their children,” Adams says. “But when they learn that she’s a Pit Bull, they draw back and guard their children.”
For many people, the image of Pit Bulls most often portrayed in the media—as malicious biters and participants in dogfights— is all they know. It’s an unfair reputation that is hard to overcome, but 36-year-old Adams works to do so by being selective in the dogs she chooses to rescue.
“There’s no shortage of Pit Bull Terriers, but we’re looking for dogs with sound, correct behavior,” Adams says. “We want dogs that are good ambassadors for the breed. If we put a biter back into the community, we’re working against everything we’re trying to build.
Human aggression is not a natural trait, it’s a learned behavior. No dog is naturally aggressive toward people. Properly trained Pit Bulls are awesome pets, and are an exceptional working breed.”
To make sure that her rescues find permanent homes, Adams is picky about potential adopters. Prospective guardians are subjected to a phone interview, an in-home meeting that can last several hours, and a home inspection.
“It’s a time-consuming process, and we make people jump through some hoops, but it’s worth it,” Adams says. “Pit Bulls are excellent dogs if they’re with the type of person who will be excellent; educating themselves about the breed and being a diligent guardian. We’ve already rescued these dogs once and we don’t want to have to do it again.”
While rescuers of more popular breeds, like Golden Retrievers or German Shepherds, can usually find a suitable guardian in a few months, rescued Pit Bulls can take up to eight months to find a home. Add the long kenneling tenure to the space constraints of a home-based operation and the organization’s selective nature—finding suitable guardians who won’t mistreat the adopted Pit Bull—and it’s easy to understand why rescuing the breed is such a slow process for Adams. While she doesn’t place as high a number of dog as a shelter might, it’s not quantity that matters to her.
“It’s not the number that’s important, but the quality of dogs that I place,” she says. “We want the dogs we adopt out to stay in their new homes, and we make sure that happens. So while it might be slowmoving, it’s solid.”
When she’s not finding new guardians for Pit Bulls, Adams hopes to change the perception of the breed through education sessions at senior centers and schools. Accompanied by her own Pit Bulls, Renny and Pretty, Adams teaches bite prevention and preaches safety while helping to clear up common misconceptions about the breed as a whole.
“If we’ve trained one person, stopped one litter from being born, we’ve accomplished something,” Adams says.
And while she’s happy with small victories, Adams would like to increase the scope of Casa del Toro. As she works toward a degree in veterinary technology, the organization’s founder hopes to open a kennel in the Indiana countryside in the next
two years.
“The kennel would house all of the dogs in one place, but it could be so much more,” Adams says. “We would also offer free training about Pit Bulls to guardians, and offer free spay and neuter services to those who can’t afford the procedure.”
While she works toward her vision, Adams remains diligent about finding suitable guardians for this misunderstood breed.
“Just as in the wild, dogs are looking for a pack leader to tell them where to go,” she says. “You have to be a strong leader, to have control.”
There’s no mistaking where Adams’ position is within the pack. “I get results because I know from the beginning what I expect, and I know how to get it,” she says. “I’m the pack leader.”
